Spinning Bike

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Okay, have had it with turbos and have not the enthusiasm for rollers! So, for that indoor everyday buzz I'm thinking of buying a spinning bike. The main advantage from my point of view is that you can get out of the saddle...something not recommended on a turbo with a carbon road bike clamped in!

As per usual though, there's a multitude of options but I'm happy to spend up to £600 and wonder if any members have any experience of any and what makes they'd recommend..?I like the look of this one...

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC8QFjAA&url=http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/nordic-track-gx8-0-cycle.php&ei=ayq4VN_iOM207Qa49IDYDg&usg=AFQjCNEDWLVtFe-O0P2D2sBmNiJMGr-_Qw

...but have also heard good things about this one...

http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=Cglc-ay24VNqfKoPm7QaeiYG4BbS-3vsFnJbD5ckB7LLyuJcCCAQQASDHmPgFKAVgu8aag9AKoAHgu4b_A8gBB6kCrn-xoCtvuT6qBCZP0Dtwac8yC9T1_sCghAtH6xGxk4N7mpL956OYoW_ID8p-oi6HRYAFkE66BRMI6eS_mPWWwwIVKgbbCh2DdwDuwAUFygUAiAYBoAYmgAeIxHmQBwOoB6a-G-AS9obu7sz34axM&ei=ay24VKmDKKqM7AaD74HwDg&ohost=www.google.co.uk&cid=5Gi9sW6zpbnumJ2TqKqJEGcrv_H98bqizFTwQmsXN3YOQy-s&sig=AOD64_3QxeF59JyTlmOAvR54KZtCjY4qwg&ctype=5&rct=j&q=&sqi=2&ved=0CCQQww8&adurl=http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/spinnerr-fit-bike.php?utm_source=google&utm_medium=Product%2BSearch&utm_campaign=Google%2BProduct%2BSearch

Anyone have any experience of these or any other make?

Thanks in advance...
 

dawn72

Well-Known Member
Our local council has 3 spin studios and all are kitted out with the spinner brand bikes. One of the studios just opened a few weeks ago and they went with the same ones that had already been tried and tested for a couple of years at their other sites, so I think that says something about reliability. Each studio has around 20 classes running per week so they've seen heavy usage. I've not been on any other brand so have nothing else to compare to, but I like them.
 
Location
Essex
They're both friction resistance, so flywheel weight is a consideration, and the Nordic's is half as heavy again as the Spinner. High-end spinning bikes like the Keiser M3 use wear-free magnetic resistance, while these bikes use sacrificial brake pads, so a heavier flywheel tends to smooth out the resistance. The pads will generally be easy to replace when they eventually wear out, but equally last for aeons. I bought a Nordic Track 5.1 just before Christmas and I love it. It came with reversible pedals (SPD / toeclip), which was an unexpected bonus, as I was expecting to have to put a pair of SPDs on myself.

That said, they both look well-built machines and will take a beating as you throw yourself around out of the saddle and provide the means to an excellent indoor workout. :smile:
 

welsh dragon

Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
I wouldnt buy one yet. Like others will say, go to your local leisure centre. They, will probably hve some. You can give it a go to see if you will like it. Personally, if you don't like the turbo, then you won't like spin bike muh better.
 
OP
OP
Monsieur Remings
Location
Yatton UK
I wouldnt buy one yet. Like others will say, go to your local leisure centre. They, will probably hve some. You can give it a go to see if you will like it. Personally, if you don't like the turbo, then you won't like spin bike muh better.

Spot on folks; thanks for the added thumbs up on the Spinner Brand Dawn and also glad to see a positive for the Nordic Track, Special. This is the one I'm edging toward as the video review from the Spinner Brand bike seemed to imply it was entry/beginner level whereas the selling point with the Nordic Track seemed much more in tune with the road bike fanatic...which is where I come in.

No, I love the spinning bikes, Welsh Dragon. As I say above, the thing that puts me off is not feeling comfortable getting out of the saddle and giving it some on the turbo (something that you need to do for sprinting and climbing practice and something not recommended for carbon clamped in turbos). Even standard exercise bikes are crap on this level but spinning bikes are made for it. They have some good bikes at the local gym...and you're right they probably will want to sell some eventually. For the moment though, during the week they're always being used for classes and yet I've used them enough to know that I prefer spinning bikes wholesale to using a turbo. Something which also records data, like the Nordic Track fits the bill even better.

Thanks folks and any more for any more?
 

screenman

Legendary Member
I have no problem getting out of the saddle and sprinting on my turbo, mind you it is the same make and model as Sir Chris used to use.
 
OP
OP
Monsieur Remings
Location
Yatton UK
I have no problem getting out of the saddle and sprinting on my turbo, mind you it is the same make and model as Sir Chris used to use.

Which one if you don't mind me asking? I tend to spend on average about 20 minutes out of the saddle when I do get to use the spinning bikes at the gym - climbing practice or sprint - and I'm sure I've read that on a turbo that out of the saddle efforts, particularly sprinting, just weren't good for the bike.

Don't get me wrong, I don't buy the argument that turbos are bad for carbon per se, I've spent too much time on them to know that they're fine but I did think that extended, hard efforts out of the saddle weren't a good idea...?
 
Last edited:

screenman

Legendary Member
You may not travel far in distance, but a good turbo session can take the body to a place it would not be safe to be on the road.

Not that the space is always comfortable to be in.
 
Anyone have any experience of these or any other make? Thanks in advance...

THIS was the one I had, a Johnny G Spinner Pro that was an ex-gym commercial grade bike.

There was some surface corrosion on the frame and flywheel, (obviously from sweat which is inevitable), but I had no doubt it would have lasted virtually forever.

FWIW even the BB was a standard Shimano UN55 making maintenance a doddle.

TBH I simply couldn't get motivated to use it, for the same reasons turbos make me want to blow my brains out!

That said if you want one I'd definitely recommend an ex-gym commercial grade one.
 
Top Bottom